Device for electrically controlling an automatic weapon

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for electrically controlling an automatic weapon. A housing ( 2 ) is laterally fastened to the weapon in a manner that enables it to be detached. An electric drive motor ( 1 ) is mounted on said housing and drives a threaded spindle ( 6 ) running parallel to the firing direction. A spindle nut ( 10 ) can be displaced on said threaded spindle. A driver ( 9 ) is placed on the spindle nut in such a manner that a draw bolt coupled to the weapon breech is located in its trajectory and can be displaced out of an initial position back into a drawn position when the spindle nut ( 10 ) is in the extreme position. In the drawn position, the draw bolt is retained by a catch lever mounted on the housing. The catch lever is arrested when the spindle nut ( 10 ) is in the extreme position that corresponds to a safety state of the weapon. When the spindle nut ( 10 ) advances in the initial position thereof, the catch lever is released, thus corresponding to the released from safety state of the weapon, so that the draw bolt and the weapon breech advance.

The present invention relates to a device for electrically controllingan automatic weapon, whereby the term control initially refers to thecocking, locking of the safety catch, and unlocking of the safety catchof the weapon, and furthermore to the firing of the weapon and possiblyto the sensing of certain conditions at the weapon.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for electricallycontrolling an automatic weapon that can be used with different types ofweapons having various designs, and that permits an automatic weapon,which is customarily operated manually, to be operated with remotecontrol, for example from the interior of a tank.

The realization of this object is inventively effected via a device forelectrically controlling an automatic weapon that is characterized by ahousing that is detachably mounted on the side of the weapon and on orin which is disposed an electric drive motor that can be controlled byan electric control device; the drive motor drives a threaded spindlethat extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the weapon and onwhich a spindle nut is movable out of a starting position, counter tothe firing direction, back into an end position; a driver is disposed onthe spindle nut in such a way that a cocking bolt that is guided on thehousing and is coupled with the breechblock of the weapon is disposed inthe path of movement of the driver and is movable out of a startingposition, counter to the spring force acting on the breechblock of theweapon, back into a cocking position in the end position of the spindlenut, in which it is arrested by an arresting lever disposed on thehousing in the end position of the spindle nut, corresponding to a“safety” condition of the weapon, and is released by the spindle nutduring advancement of the spindle nut in its starting position, whichcorresponds to the “released safety catch” condition of the weapon andleads to an advancement of the cocking bolt and breechblock of theweapon.

The basic concept of the invention is to provide a device that ismounted on an automatic weapon, preferably by means of a quick-release,and that, controlled by an electrical control device that may bedisposed at a remote location, automatically enables certain operationsof the weapon control, such as the cocking, locking of the safety catch,unlocking of the safety catch, and firing of the weapon.

For this purpose, the device first of all has a threaded spindle that isdriven by an electric motor and with the aid of which, as will bedescribed in greater detail subsequently with the aid of an embodiment,the cocking of the breechblock can be carried out, whereby theconfiguration is such that after the cocking, the weapon initially isautomatically in the safety condition, and an unlocking or release ofthe safety catch, and hence an advancement of the breechblock and thecarrying out of certain functions, such as, for example, a supply ofrounds or cartridges, can be carried out only after the automaticlocking of the safety catch is released, i.e., as a consequence of afurther signal the weapon is shifted into the unlocked safety catchcondition.

A particular advantage of the inventive device is that the driver thatis disposed on the spindle nut is not fixedly connected with the cockingbolt, and is preferably spring-mounted on the spindle nut in such a waythat when the end position is reached, no overloading can occur. As aresult of this uncoupling of cocking bolt and driver, it is alsopossible to manually operate the weapon at any time.

The device can advantageously be embodied in such a way that there isfurther provided in the device an electromagnet for the firing of theweapon, and a series of sensors can be provided that detect certainconditions of the device and of the weapon. For example, a sensor can bedisposed in such a way that it determines if a weapon is even mounted onthe device. This can be important, for example, in the stabilizedoperation on a tank. Furthermore, sensors can be provided that indicatethe position of the breechblock of the weapon and/or carry out a roundcount.

An embodiment for a device for electrically controlling an automaticweapon pursuant to the invention is explained in greater detailsubsequently with the aid of the accompanying drawings.

The drawings show:

FIG. 1 in a top view, a portion of an automatic weapon having a devicefor the electrical control mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 in a side view, the device for the electrical control accordingto FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 in a side view from the rear, the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 in an illustration analogous to FIG. 1, the device mounted on theautomatic weapon for the electrical control with the electrical controldevice.

The device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4 has a housing 2 that is mountedon an automatic weapon W via a non-illustrated quick-release couplingthat depends on the type of weapon. The quick-release coupling can bereleased by means of a rotary knob 4. Disposed on the housing 2 is anelectric drive motor 1 that can be controlled by an electric controldevice 16 illustrated in FIG. 4. The drive motor 1 drives a threadedspindle 6 that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis L of the weaponand on which a spindle nut 10 is movable out of a starting position atthe end of the threaded spindle 6 on the motor side, counter to thefiring direction, into an end position illustrated in FIG. 2. A driver 9is spring-mounted and disposed on the spindle nut 10 in such a way thata cocking bolt 5, which is guided on the housing 2 and is coupled withthe breechblock of the weapon, is disposed in the path of movement ofthe driver in such a way that the cocking bolt 5 can be moved out of anon-illustrated starting position, against the spring force that actsupon the breechblock of the weapon, back into a cocking position,illustrated in FIG. 2, in the end position of the spindle nut 10. Thismeans that cocking bolt 5 and driver 9 are basically uncoupled, so thatthe cocking bolt 5, and hence the breechblock, can also be operatedmanually. In the end position of the spindle nut 10 illustrated in FIG.2, in other words the cocking position of a securing bolt 5, the cockingbolt 5 is captured and retained by an arresting lever that isillustrated in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the arresting lever is illustrated insolid lines in a resting position and is designated in this position by14 a. The arresting lever 14 a is pivotable about an axis 14 c, againstthe force of a torsion spring, out of the arresting position into therelease position designated by 14 b. In the end position of the spindlenut 10 illustrated in FIG. 2, the arresting lever 14 a is retained inthe arresting position, so that the cocking bolt is locked or arrestedin the position 5 a illustrated in FIG. 3. This corresponds to thesafety condition of the weapon in which the breechblock of the weapon isalso retained and cannot advance.

If, upon an appropriate signal coming from the electric control device16, the spindle nut 10 again advances into its starting position, itpivots the arresting lever into the release position indicated by 14 b,and the cocking bolt 5 a, together with the breechblock of the weapon,moves forward under spring force until the cocking bolt assumes theposition designated by 5 b in FIG. 3. This corresponds to the unlockedor released safety catch condition of the weapon. During theadvancement, the breechblock of the weapon performs appropriatefunctions, such as, for example, the supply of rounds or cartridges.

Disposed in the housing 2 is an electromagnet 3 for the firing of theweapon as a consequence of a firing signal coming from the electriccontrol device. Furthermore arranged in the housing 2 is a first sensor7 that is connected with the electric control device and establisheswhether the housing 2 is disposed on a weapon W. Further sensors 11 and12 show the positions “breechblock forward” or “breechblock to therear”, and a sensor 8 senses, via the cocking bolt 5, the return of thesafety catch and conveys pulses to the electric control device, with theaid of which a round count is carried out.

FIG. 4 shows the same illustration as does FIG. 1, whereby the alreadydescribed mechanical components of the device, namely the drive motor 1,the housing 2 and the electromagnet 3 for firing the weapon, areillustrated in the same manner as in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 furthermore shows anelectric control device 16, which on the one hand is connected to apower supply 18 and on the other hand is connected via a line 19 to acontrol unit 17, from which control signals are conveyed via a line 20,and further on the one hand via a line 22 to the drive motor 1 and onthe other hand via a line 21 to the electromagnet 3.

In case of emergency, a manual operation of the device is possible. Ascan be seen from FIG. 2, this can occur by placing a crank or ahandwheel at the end 23 of the threaded spindle 6.

1-7. (canceled)
 8. A device for electrically controlling an automaticweapon comprising: a housing that is detachably mounted on a side ofsaid weapon; an electric drive motor disposed on or in said housing; anelectric control device for controlling said electric drive motor; athreaded spindle that extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of saiddrive motor; a spindle nut that is movable on said threaded spindle outof a starting position, counter to a firing direction, back into an endposition; a driver disposed on said spindle nut; a cocking bolt that isguided on said housing and is coupled with a safety catch of saidweapon, wherein said driver is disposed on said spindle nut in such away that said cocking bolt is disposed in a path of movement of saiddriver and is movable out of a starting position, counter to springforce acting on said safety catch, back into a cocking position in saidend position of said spindle nut; and an arresting lever disposed onsaid housing, wherein said cocking bolt, in said cocking position, isarrested by said arresting lever in said end position of said spindlenut, corresponding to a safety condition of said weapon, and whereinsaid cocking bolt is released by said spindle nut during advancement ofsaid spindle nut in said starting position thereof, which corresponds toa released safety catch condition of said weapon and leads to anadvancement of said cocking bolt and said safety catch of said weapon.9. A device according to claim 8, wherein said driver is spring-mountedon said spindle nut.
 10. A device according to claim 8, wherein saidhousing is mounted on said weapon via a rapid-release coupling, andwherein said cocking bolt is connected to said safety catch of saidweapon via a releasable coupling mechanism.
 11. A device according toclaim 8, wherein an electromagnet is disposed in said housing for afiring of said weapon as a consequence of a firing signal coming fromsaid electric control device.
 12. A device according to claim 8, whereina first sensor is disposed in or on said housing for determining whethersaid housing is disposed on a weapon, and wherein said first sensor isconnected with said control device.
 13. A device according to claim 12,wherein at least one second sensor is disposed in or on said housing forsensing a position of said safety catch of said weapon, and wherein saidat least one second sensor is connected wth said control device.
 15. Adevice according to claim 13, wherein a third sensor is disposed in oron said housing for counting rounds, and wherein said third sensor isconnected with said control device.